Shine
by Tiger Priestess
Summary: Saizo nearly dies protecting Isanami and she hasn't left his side.


**Shine**

**Summary****- Saizo nearly dies protecting Isanami and she hasn't left his side. SaizoIsanami**

**I got this idea once I started re-watching **_Brave 10_**, I just love these two together! This is my first Brave 10 fic. Enjoy!**

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Isanami watched the unconscious figure on the futon. "Saizo…" she murmured into the stifling silence of the room. Her legs were tucked under her body and hands resting on her knees hiding in the long sleeves of her dress, large golden eyes never straying from the dark haired man's face. For the first time in days he breathed evenly, no longer labored. His wounds had been cleaned and redressed every few hours. Fortunately they were healing nicely but he had yet to regain consciousness and she felt herself slowly slipping into insanity. She hasn't left his side since the incident.

The shoji opened and a tall broad chested man entered with messy brown locks and equally dark eyes and stubble upon his chin entered with long strides passed Rokuro, who remained kneeling at the entrance. "How is our Brave?" Yukimura asked. Isanami shook her head, eyes never leaving the dark haired assassin. Deep brown pools noticed her hands clench against her thighs and her shoulders tremble of which he knew she was trying to hide. "Don't worry," he spoke, his tone reassuring to her ears and when she turned her attention to him he gave her a small smile. "Saizo won't be down long. He's too stubborn to die."

She tried to smile, "…Yes."

Sanada placed his right hand on her head, ruffling her hair. "You should get some rest Isanami. Saizo won't like it if you don't take care of yourself." The bags under her eyes were becoming more prominent as many of the Braves made constant check-ups on her and witnessed her force herself to stay awake. "He'll be awake any time now." Yukimura comforted, certain their stubborn friend would pull through.

The Lord of Ueda walked out of the room and Rokuro slid the door shut behind his master but not before the priestess noticed Sasuke's presence before the shoji was completely closed, leaving herself and the Brave of Light alone once more.

"How's Saizo?!" the rowdy voice of Kamanosuke sounded outside. "I wanna kill him! When will he wake up?!"

"He's still unconscious," Yukimura answered calmly.

"Ah! Why's that stupid woman get to stay in there with him! I want to be there when he comes to so we can fight!"

"Don't say rude things about Isanami!" came her brother's angered and overprotective voice. A massive rumble shook the earth moments later.

"Brother!" Benmaru cried.

Everything else that transpired outside was drowned out as the blue haired girl resumed her previous activity of watching the man on the futon. He was in this condition because there was another lord who sought power and heard of the power of the deity of the goddess of murder and slaughter and Isanami became the target once again. The lord proved to be highly skilled against Saizo, just as Hanzo had been, if not a little more.

_Wide amber orbs stared in horror at Saizo's bloody figure; he'd been stabbed four times and sliced about three times as much. He was struggling to remain on his feet, leaning against his Zanbatou with each painfully labored breath before he collapsed upon the ground beside the dead corpse of the lord who just failed in kidnapping Isanami._

"_Saizo!" the young priestess ran over to him, trying to pull him up but he was too heavy._

_He gasped for breath, "I—Idiot…" he managed the groan out. Saizo heard his name called out once more by a frantic, distant female cry before his world turned black._

Isanami felt useless about how he kept protecting her until it nearly kills him. There's a growing fear within her that one day she will lose him. She feels sadness creep up on her but quickly suppresses it to keep her other side at bay.

Time stood still for several hours when he finally stirred. Isanami gave a bright smile before it dimmed and turned into a frown. A groan escaped his lips and dark green eyes tiredly opened before closing with the brightness of the room before blinking to adjust them to the light. Moments later they shifted to the familiar face of the young woman he saved numerous times. "Isanami," he said deeply, his voice hoarse from disuse. Immediately he noticed her dejected expression and consciously waiting for her to jump onto him. He brought a hand to rub the sleep from his eyes before he moved to sit himself up, wincing upon the movements but wouldn't stop until he was in a new position.

'_What's wrong with her?'_ he questioned silently, his observing gaze meeting hers and he took in her appearance. She looked like she hadn't slept in days with the dark rings around her eyes and she appeared to only be holding herself together…barely. _'For what?' _

While she stared at him she felt tears form and almost instantly she wiped them away and looked at her clenched fists lying on her thighs. "…Sorry Saizo…" she cracked. "You keep getting hurt because of me…I'm useless…" her body began to shake, lips pressing together tightly and her eyes were concealed by her bangs. "You almost died because of me…I almost lost my light…" Saizo's eyes widened when he felt the familiar dark aura. Isanami's skin began to turn into cold stone and the green gem on her headdress became a tainted black. "I'm—"

"Idiot!" the man hissed pulling the priestess into his arms, startling her completely. His embrace was tight against her body and the atmosphere dissipated and she felt his slight cringe his movements. Her eyes were widely staring at the shoji screen in front of her. His scent filled her nostrils when she dared to inhale. It smelt masculine with the lingering stench of blood and dirt and sweat, but not overbearingly so.

Saizo winced when he wrenched her to him but the pain was the least of his worries – he had to calm the woman down. It worked instantaneously. She relaxed against his shoulder. His sense of smell detected she hadn't bathed in a few days either but it wasn't a disgusting stench, just the scent of someone who has been inactive for a while. Her hair was surprisingly soft against the skin of his cheek for being unwashed and the cream colored skin felt like silk against his. He cursed himself, _'I'm becoming soft,' _he thought with a scowl.

"I won't die." His voice rumbled deeply within his chest.

She felt tears begin to prickle her eyes when she realized he was alive, her arms circled around his torso and her hands grasped the bandages of his back. "Saizo!" she clung to him even tighter with her sobs dampening the gauze wrappings. The recuperating ninja huffed out a sigh but rested his dark green gaze onto the side of her face he could see. There was a small feeling inside of him that he didn't want to admit, but it felt good to have _someone_ genuinely care about his wellbeing.

A few moments later he felt Isanami slump against him. Saizo sighed, but his eyes softened, _'She fell asleep.'_ Slowly he moved her to lie upon the futon he was previously occupying and managing to pry her off of him. Once he covered her he rose to his feet and was at the shoji in a few long strides pulling his blue shirt over his head. He gave her one last gentle look before he shut the door.

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**Done! This proved to be a little harder than I expected. Since there aren't any SaizoIsanami fics in English, other than one, it took time. Hopefully you all believe the characters are in character. **

**NOTE: There are currently the first 3 chapters to **_Brave 10 S _**and chapter 10 and 18. I haven't read them yet, there are also other side stories to B10.**


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